Thriving in the face of adversity

So you have had a bad year, or maybe you started off well and then your plans, goals and dreams came crashing down knocking you down with them. How do you get up from that? We are often taught to persevere in the face of adversity but what does it mean on a practical level? We are often encouraged to wait on the lord? What does that mean practically and how do you keep hope alive when everything is going against all hope